


Always Faithful

by aquabreeze



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Angst, Elliot's letter, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, might be a two-shot someday I don't know, optimistic angst/fluff, semper fi, this fic is just barely non-canon, you will cry probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-11
Updated: 2015-02-11
Packaged: 2018-03-11 22:58:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3335933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquabreeze/pseuds/aquabreeze
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Olivia receives a surprise gift from her former partner, with a strange note attached. But what does she find when she reads between the lines? Set in Season 13, around "Double Strands".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always Faithful

**Author's Note:**

> Written after we heard about the letter/gift existing*, but before Warren Leight released the deleted scene. Originally posted to my FF.Net account (Aquabreeze93) on November 3rd, 2011.
> 
> *yeah, Elliot actually sent her a letter with this pendant apparently but in canon, all the letter said was "Semper Fi. -El." Elliot also sent her a minibadge-thing that Liv keeps clipped to her gun. (A bit egotistical for him to think "Oh, she'll like a mini version of my badge", y/y?) We see Liv receive the gift in a deleted scene from "Double Strands".

It was just a normal day- If you could call dealing with rapists, murderers and pedophiles on a daily basis _normal_. Detective Olivia Benson walked into the precinct, holding a case file. She glanced at her destination, her desk in the center of the room- but stopped in her tracks when she saw a small, flat cardboard box sitting there.

She stared at this strange box for a moment. Then, her eyes darted around the room, looking for the person who had left it. But there were too many people walking back and forth throughout the large squad room. Whoever had left this was long gone.

Olivia cautiously walked up to her desk. As a detective, she couldn't rule out that this might be a trap. But the box was far too small to hold anything really dangerous. Then again...

She sat down in the chair and absentmindedly put the case file on a far corner of the desk. She couldn't take her eyes off the box. Her right hand hovered over it as she continued to gaze at it. It was as if she expected the box to start talking and tell her what was inside. But curiosity quickly got the best of her. She picked up the box in her left hand and with her right hand, pulled off the lid.

Inside was a gold medallion on a long chain. Her eyebrows went up and her eyes widened in surprise. This wasn't what she was expecting. Not that she’d had expectations for what could be in an unmarked cardboard box on her desk, but still. She put the box back on the desk and picked up the pendant to examine it. On the front of the oval-shaped emblem was an eagle, its wings outstretched, with a tassel in its beak that read, "Semper Fidelis". The eagle was perched atop a silver globe with golden continents, which was laid over a golden anchor with silver rope wrapped around it. It was only now that Olivia noticed the folded piece of white paper at the base of the box. She picked it up and unfolded it with her free hand. She knew the handwriting instantly.

> _Liv-_
> 
> _This was part of my dress uniform in the Corps. I hope it helps you stay safe for a while._
> 
> _Amo te,_  
>  _Elliot_

Olivia was caught in stunned silence, her heart in her throat. Her eyes darted from the pendant to the note and back several times. This was a gift from Elliot Stabler. Her partner and best friend for twelve years. The man who had suddenly quit without a word to her. She was flattered, but slightly puzzled. As heartfelt as this gift was, it wasn't like Elliot to leave her a present out of the blue. Then, a spark went off in her head, and she glanced at the words on the tassel in the eagle’s beak. _Semper Fidelis..._

She turned to the computer and googled the phrase. The first result was a Wikipedia article. _"Semper Fidelis is Latin for "Always Faithful". Well-known in the United States as the motto of the United States Marine Corps."_

**Always faithful.**

She scrolled down to the section focused on the Marines. _"Semper Fedelis" signifies the dedication and loyalty that individual Marines have for "Corps and Country", even after leaving service."_

**Even after leaving service.**

Olivia smirked. So he was coming back after all. After all, the note said he hoped the medallion would keep her safe 'for a while'. Until he was ready to come back. She found herself looking again at the note. _"Amo te,"_ it was signed. In twelve years, she'd never heard Elliot say anything like that. But her gut told her that it was a Latin phrase, just like Semper Fidelis. She entered the new phrase into an online Latin translator and-

**I love you.**

Olivia broke down crying. This was his way of telling her what he'd been holding back for twelve years. He knew that her detective instincts would kick in, he knew she'd follow the clues and find this. Clues that said more than what he could say in a single note. She knew now what this gift really was; absolutely everything. An apology for hurting her and leaving her like he did, a promise to return to work with her eventually, and most importantly, a confession. She clutched the pendant tightly in her hand. Feeling the cold metal digging into her skin, she promptly slipped the chain over her head, then cupped the eagle in her hand. She closed her eyes and pressed it against her lips, her eyes still brimming with tears.

"I love you too."


End file.
